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in order to properly perform the necessary work during the summer months. There was sufficient labor attracted to Alaska as a result of the activities in the Fairbanks district so that, while there has been some shortage of labor, particularly of skilled labor, it has been posible for the Alaska Railroad to obtain a fair supply of labor without the necessity of importing labor from Seattle. Labor turnover has been large, and it has been difficult to get sufficient in undesirable oralities or to retain the men after they have once been secured. This has decreased the efficiency of the labor and added to the costs of maintenance. It was thought possible that some increase in wages Fould have to be made in order to obtain labor, as a higher rate is paid for common labor in the mining district and by most of the employers of labor, including the Alaska Road Commission and the Bureau of Public Roads, than is paid by the Alaska Railroad. So tar sufficient labor has been obtained without any increase in wages being necessary.

TOURIST TRAVEL

Tourist travel to all sections of the Territory was materially increased over the year 1925.

From May until the latter part of August, which is the most popuar season for this class of travel, the steamship lines on Alaska routes were carrying capacity loads. Fine weather prevailed throughout the entire Territory. Travelers were enabled to view the beauties of and enjoy the maximum of pleasure (both along the ast line and in the interior) from the gigantic glaciers, waterfalls, ountains rising to extreme heights and the colorful skies and sunts, such as can be found only in Alaska.

The Golden Belt Tour, a trip over the Richardson Trail from Cordova to Fairbanks and the Alaska Railroad from Fairbanks to Seward, continued to be a popular route and the increased number of satisfied tourists indicates that within a short time this will be e of the star trips of the North.

The Yukon Belt Tour, from Skagway to Whitehorse, down river Dawson and Nenana, thence over the Alaska Railroad to Seward, proved to be worthy of the prediction of 1925 that an annual rease could be expected over this route.

The Canadian National Railways continued their steamship servto southeastern Alaska ports during the season and carried their mit of tourists. It is reported that this company intends to imTrove its service to Alaska during the season of 1927 by continuing is regular sailings through the month of September.

The Canadian Pacific Steamship Co. improved its service to I southeastern Alaska ports by maintaining two of its larger teamers during the entire season with a smaller steamer as an extra E regular runs, and its business was increased approximately 10 per

-nt.

The Alaska Steamship Co. operated its regular fleet of comdious vessels to southeastern and western Alaska ports, and as passenger business had been running close to the maximum 1925 there could be only a slight increase on this line.

The Pacific Steamship Co., operating to southeastern and western Alaska ports, carried capacity loads on its regular fleet, and its

service to southeastern Alaska was greatly improved by the addition of the Steamship Dorothy Alexander making seven trips, catering to tourists only, thereby increasing its business approximately 30

per cent.

A total of 15 passenger steamers were operated in the Alaskan. service and carried 29,676 passengers to the various ports during the fiscal year 1926, a gain of approximately 15 per cent over 1925.

The growing demand for accommodations along the tourist routes in Alaska indicates the increasing popularity of the north, and just as rapidly as the truth of climatic, travel, and other Alaskan conditions is learned, will the traffic of the North continue to increase until it will be looked upon as one of the most attractive sections of the United States for pleasure seekers, hunters, fishermen, and all nature lovers.

ALASKA ROAD COMMISSION

The Alaska Road Commission, constituted by the act of Congress approved January 7, 1905, as amended by an act of Congress approved May 14, 1906, is composed of three officers of the Army, reporting to the War Department through the Chief of Engineers. The Federal funds disbursed are made available under the congressional appropriation "Construction and maintenance of roads, bridges, and trails, Alaska"; from the Alaska fund "Construction and maintenance of wagon roads, bridges, and trails"; and from "Roads and trails, national parks."

In addition, the Territory has allotted funds for disbursement by this commission upon cooperative projects for road construction. Such funds are deposited in the Treasury of the United States and are disbursed by the disbursing officer of the Alaska Road Commission in the same way as Federal funds directly appropriated by Congress.

The total expended for all construction and maintenance to June 30, 1926, was $10,813,165.11. Of this amount $6,900,600 was appropriated by acts of Congress, $3,190,017.78 was allotted from the Alaska fund, and $722,547.33 from Territorial appropriations and contributions.

The work in the last fiscal year was largely directed to extending the general rehabilitation to trails and roads in remote portions of the Territory begun in 1920. This gradual rehabilitation, starting upon the more important projects, has now reached trails extending to all inhabited parts of the Territory.

The work accomplished during the fiscal year may be summarized as follows: New construction, 672 miles wagon road, 14 miles sled road, 212 miles trail, 380 linear feet of bridges of 60-foot span and over, 8 airplane-landing fields; improvement, 62 miles wagon road reconstructed, 96 miles wagon road graveled, 5 miles Nome-Shelton tramway raised to standard of 10-ton loads, and innumerable small bridges and culverts rebuilt; maintenance, 1,03514 miles wagon road. 95 miles tramway, 935 miles sled road, 3,63111⁄2 miles permanent trail 3682 miles temporary flagged trail, and 400 miles telephone lines: total for all classes of work, 6,4951⁄2 miles, consisting of 1,2341⁄2 mile of wagon road, 100 miles of tramway, 949 miles of sled road, 3,84314 miles of permanent trail, and 3681⁄2 miles of temporary flagged trail

The more important roads upon which new construction was performed were the Haines-Pleasant Camp, McCarthy-Nizina, Chatanika-Circle, Mount McKinley National Park, Gulkana-Chistochina, Long-Poorman, and Ophir-Takotna. The extensive bridge program augurated the previous year was continued. The more important structures upon which new construction or extensive repairs were performed included bridges across Savage and Sanctuary Rivers in McKinley Park, Big Goldstream, Hot Springs Slough, Valdez Glacier Stream, Bear Creek, Klutina River, Millers Glacier Stream 4 mile 223, Banner Creek, Gasoline Creek, and Tanana Slough at zle 348.

The important Richardson Highway was maintained during the pen season. There was an increased tourist travel during 1925. Traffic reports show the following movement over the highway durthe calendar year 1925: 4,208 persons, 1,853 motor-driven veeles, 139 wagons, 479 double bobsleds, 6 pack horses, and 1,704 tons f freight. During the 1926 season tourist travel began in June, early a month earlier than had been possible heretofore.

Construction work was delayed somewhat during the 1925 season account of very wet weather. An early spring in 1926 has helped opening up work.

The total expenditures during the fiscal year amounted to $1,311,17.69, of which $828,045.38 was for construction and $483,272.31 Tas for maintenance.

The work of maintenance and rehabilitation has been pushed, and e roads and trails under the jurisdiction of the board are in better cape than ever before. The total mileage of roads and trails conricted or maintained by the board aggregate 10,003 miles, consting of 1,43312 miles of wagon road, 100 miles tramway, 1,086 les of sled road, 6,6712 miles of permanent trail, and 712 miles temporary flagged trail. Work was performed upon 6,49512 des of the system during the fiscal year.

The 410-mile Valdez Chitina-Fairbanks Road received special attion. Two more seasons should see this important overland route pleted to a uniform standard and given a gravel surface oughout. Over 110 miles of the 165-mile extension from FairIaks to Circle on the Upper Yukon are now passable for wagons, the entire route is utilized for winter travel by double bobsled. The roads and trails constructed by the board have not only opened to development nearly all sections of the Territory but have cted large savings in freight charges. Data collected by the ard since 1911 indicate that the annual saving in cost of transtation of freight due to construction of roads by the board is excess of $2,000,000. It is doubtful, however, if anything like amount of freight would have been transported without the ads, and the indirect loss which would have been occasioned by restriction on output and development if the roads did not exist not be estimated.

The program upon which the board is working was prepared in It has been concurred in by the Governor of Alaska, the rritorial board of road commissioners, the Interdepartmental aska Board, the late President Harding, and all other Federal

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and Territorial officials concerned. It also has the support of Congress, as evidenced by the fact that for five successive years appropriations for this work have been increased by Congress over the respective figures submitted by the Bureau of the Budget.

The 1920 program called for the appropriation of $10,000,000 during the succeeding 10 years, starting with $955,000 the first year, rising to a maximum of $1,600,000 for the fourth year, and then tapering off to a permanent maintenance basis.

The appropriations for the first half of the 10-year period have been less than half the estimates. About three-fourths of the avail able funds have been required for maintenance and rehabilitation New construction should now be speeded up so as to get the maximum benefit from the work already accomplished. The 1920 program was, therefore, revised in 1924. It provides for the completion of the project during the next five years, so as to provide the Territory with a road and trial system, such as immediate needs justify, and probably sufficient to meet all reasonable demands until the Territory shall be sufficiently developed to take over internal public works as part of its own government. Annual maintenance thereafter, as nearly as can be estimated at this time, will cost about $550,000.

The appropriations recommended for the second five years, ac cording to the program as revised in 1924, are as follows:

(a) For maintenance of existing routes, 9,836 miles, at $542,000 per year-

(b) For improvement of existing routes to the same standard throughout__.

(c) For completion of projects already undertaken..

(d) For completion of tentative projects not yet undertaken_--
(e) For projects likely to arise with development during the five
years---.

Total for five years-

Less Alaska fund and Territorial contributions (estimated) _

Net Federal appropriations____. $900,000 was appropriated for next year.

$2,710,000

2, 600, 000

1, 735, 000 1,780, 000

1, 135, 000

9, 960, 000 960,000

9, 000, 00

Under a cooperative agreement with the National Park Servic the Alaska Road Commission started last year on the improvemen to automobile standard of the pack trail constructed across the parl the previous year. At the close of the fiscal year an office and ware house had been erected at McKinley Park Station, 361% miles of final location had been run, 22 miles had been cleared and grubbed 20 miles graded, and 14 miles surfaced, at a total expenditure o $147,000. To complete this road to Sable Mountain, a distance o 361/2 miles from the Alaska Railroad, will require a total expendi ture, including work already done, of about $350,000. The rout selected is one of great scenic grandeur. A road and comfortabl camps are absolutely necessary for the safety of the increasin tourist travel already visiting the park.

Upon the recommendation of the governor, several years ago, th National Park Service has made an agreement with the president o the Alaska Road Commisision for the supervision of annual repair and improvements in the Sitka National Monument. During th fiscal year $1,572.65 were expended in repairing and painting th totem poles, reconstructing benches and footbridges, clearing an

graveling additional footpaths, and extending and repairing a bulkhead along Indian River to protect the monument from overflow. The National Park Service, the Alaska Road Commission, and the Territory all contributed in providing the necessary funds. A simihar allotment has been made for the current season.

The Sitka National Cemetery is the only national cemetery in the Territory. It was created by Executive order dated June 12, 1924. Is administration is under the direction of the Alaska Road Commission, a caretaker has been appointed, and the Quartermaster General of the Army makes a small annual allotment for its maintenance. The original tract was withdrawn for use as a military and naval Cemetery by Executive order of June 21, 1890. Following the withdrawal of the marine garrison about 20 years ago, the tract was glected. It contains the graves of members of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Public Health Service, Coast and Geodetic Survey, Coast Guard, and others stationed in the Territory or on duty in its Faters. It also contains the grave of the Hon. John G. Brady, governor of the Territory from 1897 to 1906.

Through the efforts of the local post of the American Legion, the Governor of Alaska, and the president of the Alaska Road Commisson, funds were secured from the Navy in 1922, and later from the Territory and the Alaska Road Commission, with which the cemeery was partially restored, roads and walks laid out, graves identied and properly marked, etc.

The tract was surveyed and a map was prepared, submitted, and pproved, showing permanent layout of roads, walks, burial plots,

A path was cleared around the entire boundary line, additional dearing was performed within the cemetery, a concrete rostrum with pe railing built, a 60-foot flagpole erected, flags, halyards, and all decoration flags for graves secured, preliminary work of squargup all roads, walks, plots, etc., begun, and additional gravel laced on existing walks and roads. Additional soldier graves were ransferred from other post cemeteries in the Territory. Two field ns were secured and mounted.

Already the cemetery presents a very creditable appearance. The ork of rehabilitation and improvement will be continued as funds ecome available.

BUREAU OF PUBLIC ROADS

The Bureau of Public Roads is operating in Alaska as a part of strict 1, with a district office at Portland, Oreg. This district acludes Oregon, Washington, northern Idaho, Montana, and Alaska. A branch office is maintained at Juneau under the supervision of an sistant district engineer. Plans for proposed work and major oblems in construction are submitted to the district office for apOval before such work can proceed, and this acts as a handicap to ompt and efficient action.

Operations have been carried on by the Bureau of National Forest Pads since 1917. The present organization and branch office was tablished July 1, 1920. Since the latter date all roads within namal forests have been constructed and maintained by the bureau. A total of 166.8 miles of highway have been constructed and are now nder maintenance. All Federal funds now being expended are pro

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